Match Report
A CONSOLATION VICTORY
Blackpool 137-6
St Annes 139-6
Gerry Wolstenholme
There was only local derby pride at stake at Stanley Park on Sunday when St Annes played Blackpool in the Thwaites Smooth Beer Cup as neither team could qualify for the semi-finals without some absolutely sensational results elsewhere. In the event, St Annes won the low-key game by four wickets by scoring 139-6 in reply to Blackpool's 137-6 from their 40 overs.
Blackpool batted first and their innings meandered to a close with no-one except Deon Kruis, who entered the fray belatedly in the 33rd over, making any discernible effort to increase the scoring rate. They got off to one of their bad starts and were 1-2 in the second over as Steve Twist and Dave Taylor dismissed the openers both without scoring, Chris Simcock leg before wicket for one and Steve Mercer caught low down in the gully by Gareth Evans.
The promoted Darron Walton made 13 before he was stumped by Duncan Whalley off Taylor and Adrian Darlington bowled Paul Danson for 11 and it was 40-4 in the 15th over. Mark Lomas and Mark Griffiths then occupied the crease while a further 55 runs were sedately added to the total. Michael Baer then bowled Griffiths for 23 at 95-5 in the 33rd over and in the 37th Lomas was caught by Geoff Love off Twist for a laboured 40 made from 90 balls with three fours. Deon Kruis tried to raise the rate and he had made 26 not out from 19 balls when the innings closed on a not very healthy 137-6. Keith Bullen was three not out and Taylor, 2-19, and Twist, 2-25, were St Annes most successful bowlers.
In reply Darlington took the attack to Blackpool and he scored a quick 20 before Danson bowled him at 34-1. Adam Cotton made 10 before he was caught at mid-on by Kruis off Walton at 58-2 in the 22nd over. Kruis bowled Twist for one in the 23rd over and when Taylor bowled Evans, 38 from 88 balls with three fours, it was 88-4 in the 28th.
Love made 23 before firing Danson to Chris Taylor at long-off and when Danson bowled Russ Bradley later in the same over it was 126-6. Enter Blackpool old boy David Bartholomew and he carefully punched Danson for three fours in the space of seven balls and it was all over at 139-6 with Whalley not out 12. The few spectators, mostly from St Annes, then made their way home to continue their slumbers in the comfort of their armchairs!
The result left both sides with identical records of having played four, won one and lost three, a state of affairs that does nothing to help their cause of progressing. The final group games for both sides will, however, mean a little more as the opposition, Chorley at St Annes and Morecambe entertaining Blackpool, both need to win to decide who enters the semi-finals with Netherfield.
